MTUC Sabah calls for uniform minimum wage rate

KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), Sabah division, is alarmed by the recent statement of Sabah Employers Association (SEA) that businesses must be ready for the revision in minimum wage in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Its secretary, Catherine Jikunan, said the minimum wage is due for revision and in actual fact it is supposed to be revised every two years.

She said Sabah workers are at a disadvantage as Peninsular Malaysian workers for the last four years are receiving higher wage.

“The last revision shows that Peninsular Malaysian workers are paid a minimum RM1,000 whereby those in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are paid RM920 only. This should not happen because the cost of living in Sabah is higher,” said Jikunan.

MTUC Sabah demanded that the new government urgently look into the matter and wanted the new rate to be the same in the whole

The last revision shows that Peninsular Malaysian workers are paid a minimum RM1,000 whereby those in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are paid RM920 only. This should not happen because the cost of living in Sabah is more expensive.

of Malaysia.

“We want the new government to treat Sabahans the same as the rest of the workers in Peninsular Malaysia.”

MTUC Sabah added that its stand is that the minimum wage must be one rate for the whole country. Pakatan Harapan in its manifesto has pledged to set the minimum wage at RM1,500 across the country.

Jikunan added it is high time now for MTUC to demand for higher minimum wage as workers in Sabah and Labuan have been left far behind compared to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia.

In response to SEA statement that only one dialogue session had been held by the technical committee representatives with employers and employees in January, Jikunan said there were at least three sessions held by the Technical Committee in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Sandakan. The committee also had a direct engagement with the employers.

She added that the SEA should not harp on the amount of RM1,500 in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto as the rate is achievable and reasonable.

“Sabah is rich in resources compared to states like Perlis and Kedah but they are still able to pay their workers at RM1,000.”

Jikunan called on the state government to support the workers’ proposal to standardise the rate of the minimum wage as one rate.

“Workers in Sabah have been neglected for far too long,” she said.

She also wanted the government to look into the case of the 1,3000 workers in Sabah Forest Industry who have been laid off for six months since January.

They are still waiting for the SFI to call them to resume their work as promised. Jikunan hoped the new government is willing to have a dialogue with MTUC Sabah to discuss the many issues affecting workers in Sabah and Labuan.

SEA said that Sabah businesses had to be ready for the revision in minimum wage as a promise by the new administration before the election.

Its president, Yap Cheen Boon, nonetheless said the economic discrepancies between Peninsular and East Malaysia must be made equal first before bridging the minimum wage gap.

Catherine Jikunan, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) secretary